The Story of Harold Morton Part Three

Harold returned to his hotel room, flustered and frustrated by Temptation #1.  He thought over his first meeting with Lonnie.  She wore a turtleneck, knit cardigan and baggy khaki pants and, in a very flat voice, she addressed him as Mr. Morton.  In the last month, Harold came to know Lonnie as a task master anally driving his schedule on time, ensuring travel arrangements were intact and bookstore managers had promotion materials.  She seemed to be a rule follower.  Harold would not have pegged her as the spontaneous back of the taxi seductress type. 

He needed to hear the reassuring voice of his wife, Evelyn, so he phoned her immediately.  When Evelyn answered the phone, she sounded out of breath and Harold asked her how she was feeling.  “I’m feeling like crap.  I can’t get rid of the smell of sick patients.  Your clothes are still on the floor from the last time you were home.  I don’t remember when?  Do you?”  Harold wanted to be close to her, to reassure Evelyn that everything would be alright.  He knew it was bad timing, but he asked her to fly to the next city on his book tour so they could reunite.  “I’ll see what I can do to trade shifts with some of the other nurses and get a few days off” was Evelyn’s response.

Harold was the only man Evelyn had ever been with.  She truly missed him; his warm sense of humor and his gentle voice.  She was not one to openly express her emotions though and her longing during his absence translated into fits of frustration each time they talked on the phone.  Evelyn had always been Harold’s rock.  When his grandfather passed away, Evelyn looked in on Harold every day.   Harold was devastated by losing his grandfather; a man who had been more of a father to him than his own.  Harold went into a depression that almost cost him his freshman year of college causing him to struggle as a first year Chemistry major.  Evelyn comforted Harold bringing him food from the dining hall when Harold refused to get out of bed.  She tried in vain to get him out the door each day to attend his classes.  She encouraged him to bounce back when he began to fail Organic Chemistry.  She made him swallow his pride and she helped him pay for private tutoring in an attempt to save his grade; his parents could afford tutoring, but Harold was too embarrassed to ask their assistance.  When the private tutoring could not lift him above a “C” average, Harold felt defeated knowing that he needed to maintain a “B” average to remain in the Chemistry program. 

Harold was considering dropping out of college when Evelyn suggested another option: majoring in English.  Harold would never consider this major if not for Evelyn.  She buttered Harold up, telling him how great his English papers were in high school.  When Harold in his insecurity did not believe her and resisted, she scheduled an appointment with his counselor to switch his major for him.  She set Harold on the path that led to his current success.  Harold would not forsake Evelyn for Temptation Number One.  Evelyn alone possessed his loyalty.

Harold awoke the next morning and quickly finished his breakfast.  He proceeded to the lobby to meet Lonnie, avoiding eye contact, both boarding a taxi to the airport.  Lonnie nervously chatted at warp speed warding off Harold’s attempts to interject.  She was aware of crossing the line last night and, now that she was on the other side, she wanted to be the one in control.    As Lonnie put her hand on Harold’s knee, he could feel his body tensing and his ears beginning to burn.  His hand smacked down hard on top of her’s; impulsively pushing it away. 

    Lonnie began to cry. 

Harold was helpless. He did not know how to react to her tears.  While he was remorseful for smacking her, a part of him felt that she deserved it for touching him.  She knew him as a married man.  Harold needed to say something to her, but what he did not know.  He needed to apologize.  Yet, he also felt violated by her actions and entitled to an apology from her.  Harold knew that Lonnie was under no obligation to apologize and held the upper hand in her game of cat and mouse.  Lonnie was tightly connected to executive management at the publisher and could easily report him as abusive to the higher ups.  This would essentially derail the fast track to success that Harold was hoping to ride. 

Still sobbing, Lonnie attempted to hide her face, cusping her hands over it.  Harold leaned into Lonnie, softly taking her injured hand, caressing it, telling her he was wrong to hit her and that she did not deserve to be treated this way by him or anyone else.  Harold fell into a sympathy kiss intended as a “boo-boo” friendship kiss and misinterpreted by Lonnie as something more.  This approach was not in Harold’s original plan.  He needed to stop Lonnie’s tears a.s.a.p. and his kiss served this purpose for the time being. 

The rest of the week was tense between them.  Lonnie took every opportunity to corner Harold and he felt like a broken record repeating “I am a married man” over and over to her.  He would not lose his temper again.  Instead, Harold tried to avoid Lonnie to the extent possible given that they worked with one another all day.  Harold thought Evelyn’s arrival on Saturday would be the solution.   Surely Lonnie would see his love and commitment to Evelyn then.  

To Be Continued...

Post Note:

This story was initially intended to be three parts only.  I am new to publishing fiction online.  I make mistakes.  As I continue to write the story, I realize that there is more to be told than just three parts will allow.  I was naive in believing I could achieve such brevity.  I hope you are intrigued by Harold Morton's life.  Please continue to read this story and comment.  I only hope to improve and grow as a writer as I venture more into other stories on this blog.  Thank you for your patience.